R400-D bonnet / nose cone cut outs and water ingress to Throttle bodies

[Robert Cadiz]

Hi,

I have an R400 Duratec and I am thinking about adding a bonnet cut out for the air filter / throttle bodies so that the engine can breathe cooler air.  I plan to do this in conjunction with a nose cone cut out behind the radiator.

I have been told that I will require a different air filter and that potentially you can suffer from water ingress.  I use my car all year round and in all weather (it is my only transport).

Any experience of this and how likely the water ingress is?  What can be done to minimise this?

I have also been told that the nose cone cut out will help the airflow through the radiator but creates 'dead' air around the engine.

What can be done to improve the airflow though the engine bay?  Particularly as the drivers footwell already gets very hot.

Thanks,

Robert

[John Vine]

A few suggestions for reducing footwell temps:

• If you have the black plastic cowl inside the nosecone (intended to direct all incoming air through the rad), remove it to allow more cold air into the engine bay (discussed here)
• Add insulating panels to the footwell (some folks have used this stuff, I believe)
• Wrap the primaries (I did this, with a noticeable improvement)

I can't really help re your other queries.  Although I have the full rollerbarrel cutout on my S3 R400D (to allow me to fit an airbox if needed), I try to avoid driving in the rain.  But I imagine quite a bit of water could get in that way.

JV

[Robert Cadiz]

Hi JV,

Thank you for the links.

I have looked at wrapping the primaries but stayed away from this after experience of it getting wet on my race bikes.  The other option I am currently looking at is:

http://www.zircotec.com/page/-_primary_range/91

Only problem is the price at 320 + VAT for just the headers!

The cowl inside the nose cone has already been removed.  I have looked at heat shielding the footwell but it is nice in winter and would really like to get more air moving the through the engine bay for summer.  However if no real solution can be offered then heat shield it will be.

Thanks,

Robert

 

[John Vine]

I was a bit concerned, too, about the effect of water on the wrap, but I applied this high-temp silicone coating, which seems to work well on the occasions when I do get caught in the rain.

JV 

[Robert Cadiz]

Hi JV,

A little internet research is a dangerous thing!  I have looked at the silicone coating and some sites recommend that the pipes are coated in this first prior to wrapping and then coating again.  There are also some concerns that the coating flakes off and does not last particular well, as well as needing several coats.

Did you paint the header first with the silicone coating?  Have you found the coating flakes?  Did you apply several coats?

Many Thanks,

Robert

[John Vine]

No, I didn't coat the primaries at all prior to wrapping.  They were off the car anyway (for polishing -- just the lower sections), so I set up each one in the vice and wrapped upwards really tightly towards the flange, securing the end with locking wire.   I then sprayed on the silicone.  I didn't re-coat as such, but just kept on with the spray until the wrap was well covered.

So far, the coating has adhered well and hasn't flaked at all.

JV

[AdamQ]

I believe it's been suggested in the past that one of the main problems with the heat build up is that hot air finds its way into the transmission tunnel and then has nowhere to go.  Two partial solutions I've seen talked about are coarse mesh gaiters for the gear and handbrake levers and some sort of opening at the rear end of the tunnel cover to allow air to flow out ...  I've done the gaiter thing and, judging by the amount of hot air being emitted, it certainly helps, but it by no means solves the problem.

Regarding a cooler air feed, I've got air coming in via a hole in the nosecone behind the number plate into some ducting, through an in-line air filter mounted behind the radiator and then up to an airbox on the TBs.  It seems to work fairly well.  I drive the car all year round and haven't had any problems with water ingress ... 

FWIW,

Adam

[Tony Whitley]

Not had any problems with water with my car, also driven in all weathers.

 

[Robert Cadiz]

Thanks for all the advice and experience.

Have gone for the wrap and as the engine is coming out I am going to fit a heat insulating kit.

Next will be the will be the bonnet cut out.  The Dremel is going to get a work out!

Robert

[Paul Deslandes]

A couple of observations:

• I once had a visit from a K series R500 owner whose engine wasn't breathing properly.  It turned out that his air intake was at the bottom of the nose cone and the elephant's trunk to the roller barrels had an inline air filter.  The cone-type air filter had been doing its job and was totally clogged with all manner of crap, leaves, oil etc, picked up as a result of the inlet duct being so close to the road.  Once replaced, the car went like a rocket again.
• If the sausage filter is coated in the correct protective oil, that should help keep the rain out.  My filter sticks out through the bonnet with no problems as far as I can tell and it's been out in some pretty heavy rain.
• A flap wheel on a flexible drill drive or a Dremel is ideal for gently shaping and trimming the cut out.  Much less fierce and more controllable than a burr.

Paul

[Robert Cadiz]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for the advice.  I was not thinking of putting in an air intake into the nose cone.  I do have an filter cleaning and refresh kit from K&N.  I am guessing that the oil for a K&N foam filter would be the same for any foam filter.

I saw a thread on pistonheads about a bonnet cut out.  http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1310541  The picture in the final post is the look I am aiming to achieve.

All the Best,

Robert

 

[Robert Cadiz]

hmmm.....

Each filter manufactureur only recommends their oil and cleaner.  No surprise. 

Reading through a few MX sites their choice of oil and cleaner is based on various parameters, Filter material, Oil type (ie synthetic, plant etc) and whether the oil contains Alcohol and or Tackifier.

Each has its pros and cons, each has its supporters, so the K&N Recharger Filter Care Service Kit should be fine.......

Robert